Grain-cleaner



(No Model.)

J. 'G. WELLING. GRAIN CLEANER.

WIZWSSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

JOHN C. VELLING, OF CRISP, MICHIGAN.

GRAIN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,491, dated July 21, 1896..

Application filed March '7, 1896.

To all when@ t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. WELLING, of Crisp, in the county of Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cleaners and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,v

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification. o I

This invention is an improved machine for screening and fanning grain to purify the same and separate it from foreign substances and cockles, burs, weed-seeds, chaff, &c.; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described4 fan and fan-chamber, by which the grain is l subjected to an air-blast as it falls into the conveyor-boxes or other receptacles for.`

cleaned grain, the screenings being delivered from both screen-frames to the outside of the machine, the chaff, dac., being also blown out of the machine by the air-draft.

In the drawings the machine is suitably incased and has two hoppers A A in its upper end arranged side by side and provided with regulating feed-gates a in their bottoms, which may be of any suitable construction. As shown, the shafts of these gates are provided with arms b, which are connected by a rod B, so that the feed from both hoppers will be equal. Below the lloppers are rocking screen-frames C C', respectively mounted on transverse rock-shafts c c', suitably j ournaled in the sides of the casing.

Each screen-frame has an upper screen D, which (when the frame is horizontal) inclines outwardly and downwardly, and a lower screen d, which is longer than screen D and Serial No. 582,188. (No model.)

inclines inwardly and downwardly, the two screens nearly or quite meeting at their outer ends and diverging toward their inner ends. Below the screens in each frame is a board d', which is also inclined `downward and outward, so that the screenings falling thereon -will be cast out of the machine.

The good seed falling off the inner ends of screens d drop onto an inclined board E, which forms part of the fan-casing, and drops from said board into a receiving-box F; or if the iiap-valve c in board E be opened, as indicated in Fig 1, it falls into boX f. Two boxes are used, so that when one is iilled the cleaned seed can be directed into the other until the first is emptied; and I do not confine myself to the use of valve c for accomplishing this shifting of the grain into either boX.

Below the left-hand screen-frame C, and behind board E, is another downwardly-inclined board G, (also forming part of the fancasing,) and if any screenings fall thereon from the superimposed frame C they are directed'out of the machine.

Below boards E G is the fan-chamber L, lwhich has a lateral opening l for the eXit of air at the side adjoining the lower end of board E, so that the grain falling off said .board into the receiving-boX is subjected to a strong draft of air created by the fan II in said chamber, which fan is mounted on a transverse shaft h, which is suitably journaled at the sides of the casing, and may be driven by any suitable means. I have shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, a crank spur-gear I, meshing with a pinion e' on shaft h, by which means the shaft can be driven by hand. On the other end of shaft h (see Fig. 1) is a crank J, which is connected by a pitman j to a crank c2 on the adjoining end of shaft c; and crank .I is also connected by another pitmanj to a crank cs on the adjoining end when the fan is operated, and lthus screenframes C'C are simultaneously vibrated.

Vhen the machine is in operation, the screen-frames are rapidly oscillated and the grain falls onto the upper screens D, and the straws, sticks, and other large impurities pass on and off the outer ends of the screens and fall outside the casing, while the grain and small impurities drop onto screens d. The

of shaft c', hence these shafts are rocked' IOO dirt and small impurities drop through screens d onto the boards cl', and from the latter escape outside the casing, while the good seed drop olf the inner ends of screens cl onto board E, and the grain falling from said board is subjected to the blast of wind escaping through the opening l, whereby the small light impurities, rbc., are blown out of the casing, while the cleaned grain drops into the receivers.

The machine may be provided with suitable handles for convenience in transporta tion.

Having thus described my invention, what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

l. In a `graincleaner, the combination ofa fan-chamber, a receiving-trough at one side thereof, over which the blast of air from the fanpasses, a delivery-board forming part of the fancasing,.adapted to deliver grain into the receivers,land a delivery-board forming part of the fan-casing adapted to direct screeningsvout of the machine 5 with a pair of oscillating'screenf1a-mes arranged side by side above the fan-chamber and trough re spectively, each screen being mounted upon a central rock-shaft, and each having an outwardly and downwardly inclined screen and board, and an inwardly and downwardly in clined screen between the first screen and board, and means for simultaneously oscillating said screenframes in the same direction all substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the casing a pair of feed-hoppers, arranged side by side therein, a pair of oscillating screen-frames arranged respectively below the hoppers, each screenframe being mounted on a central rock-shaft, and each screen-frame having an upper downwardly and outwardly inclined screen, and a bottom downwardly and outwardly inclined board and an intermediate downwardly and inwardly inclined screen longer than the upper screen, and means for simultaneously rocking said screen-frames in the same direc tion; with a fan-chamber below one screenframe, a receivingtrough below the other, and a board adapted to direct the clean grain from both screen-frames into the troughs, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a grain-cleaner, the combination of a fan-chamber, a receiving-trough at one side thereof, over whichthe blast of air from the fan passes, a delivery-board forming part of the fan-casing, adapted to deliver grain into the receivers, and a delivery-board forming part of the fan-casing .adapted to direct screenings out of the machine; with a pair of oscillating screen-frames arranged side by side above the fan-chamber and troughrespectively, l each screenbeing mounted `upon a central rock-shaft, and each having an out- `wardly and downwardly inclined screen and Aboard, andan inwardly and.downwardlyinclined screen between the first screen and board, and means for simultaneously oscillating said screen-frames in the saine direction; with a feed-hopper above each screen-frame, the crank-arms on the ends of the rock-shafts,

and pitnien connecting said arms with a crank.

on the fan-shaft, whereby the screens are oscillated by and from the fan, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingas my own I ahx my signature in `presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. WELLING. Witnesses OTTO P. KRAMER, CORNELIUS VER SCHURE. 

